


Alternate Kerblam! Ending

by LastOfThePythia



Category: Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 21:34:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16941147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LastOfThePythia/pseuds/LastOfThePythia
Summary: A communist re-writing of the ending of Kerblam! because it pissed me off. Good feelings here!





	Alternate Kerblam! Ending

"People like me -- my generation -- we change things. We make things happen," Charlie yelled, hysterical, holding up the controller.

"I'm so sorry, Charlie," said the Doctor, putting their hands together and taking half a step forward, their shoes scuffing slightly on the steel floor.

"I have to do this," he said, shaking.

"I know you feel like there's no other way."

"There isn't! Everyone back home is starving while scrambling for jobs. I see kids and all I can think about is how it will be even worse for them when they cut back on human workers -- and they will! My brother can't afford rent and he has a 5-year-old. I see no hope in her eyes. Looking into a child's eyes and not seeing any hope... How is any of this fair?"

"It's not," said the Doctor. 

"Then there's nothing stopping me."

"Yes, there is! The people you're fighting for. That's why you can't do it. You can see the suffering everyone else is going through. You're just going to make it worse. You have to focus on the real problem -- and that is the system. This company."

Charlie was still shaking, but he looked less determined.

"You!" The Doctor turned on their feet, pointing at Slade. "You knew your employees were going missing. You were paying attention, making notes. You had to know the areas with the highest risks. Yet you didn't shut down any of those areas and went on letting everyone go around as if everything was fine!"

"You know I had no one to turn to!" Slade shot back anxiously. "I was trying my best."

"Wrong! You did have people to turn to! The workers in this factory! This is basically a second home to them and you didn't let them know what was going on? You give them no autonomy! You could have let them decide! I see why you use so many robot workers -- your conditions are inhumane."

"What, so I was just supposed to create a panic? Besides, why are you yelling at me? He's the one responsible for the murders!"

"Whether or not they panicked should have been their choice! And yes, he killed people, but you are complicit in the conditions that created his desperation and therefore the deaths of your employees. He's your slave and you're surprised he's not taking the scraps you've given him?"

Charlie lowered the controller. "I -- I've never heard anyone talk that way."

"I'm not surprised. If people knew how corrupt this all is, they wouldn't allow it to happen. And you, Charlie, this is just your way of trying to fix things. But you won't get anywhere with the murder of innocent people."

Ryan nodded. "The Doctor's right. You guys deserve better, but this isn't what will accomplish your goals. And further distrust of machines will just fuel paranoia, adding to the problems of factory workers! Who's gonna be comfortable working around things they think will kill them?"

"Yeah, these aren't exactly rich people you'll be killing!" Graham said.

The Doctor sighed. "Slade. Look what you've done." They walked up to Charlie, who looked more afraid than anything. "Give me the controller, Charlie. Please." 

He nodded and did as they asked.

"Right. We're teleporting out of here."

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

"A common ownership? You want Kerblam to be -- I'm sorry, what?!" Slade shouted at the Doctor as they all stood in a field.

"You've got no choice. Before we teleported, I calibrated my sonic to the Kerblam men. One push of a button and the whole factory goes... uh, Kerblam! And don't worry, the workers have been told that they need to be going home due to emergency conditions."

"How would a common ownership of this size even work?" asked Yaz.

"They can figure it out. If it's all of theirs, they can find a way forward with empathy."

"It won't work," said Judy, confused. "This is unprecedented."

"Oh, come on! Read a history book now and again. There are countless examples. Such as the Sentient Cuddlesome Colony Uprising of 3056!"

"We simply can't do that!" said Slade.

The Doctor held up their sonic screwdriver. "Oh, but you will."

Slade's face went a color that somehow could have been described as a shade of resignation. 

The Doctor winked at Charlie. "Activism 101: you can get things done by knowing exactly where to apply the right pressure."


End file.
